AHMEDABAD (India) - They did manage to execute the after-timeout play but the Philippines could not get the best possible space for an easier shot, as Chinese Taipei managed to react quickly defensively.
That is why Ethan Aguas let out a scream, as he felt extreme relief that his high-arching launch all over the out-stretched arms of Jhou You-Cheng found the bottom of the net with 2.6 seconds left.
And it proved to be the game-winning bucket that ultimately enabled Gilas Youth to come away with the thrilling 89-88 decision for a triumphant start to their FIBA U18 Asia Cup 2026 campaign in this city.
"For me, it's a miracle shot," he said moments after the match at the Veer Sarvakar Indoor Stadium here.
Looking at their intentions in that particular set, the young Filipino dribblers were aiming for a quick two for an immediate counter after the opposition took the 88-87 lead behind Carter Coleman with 6.9 seconds to go.
Because right after Pat Pasinos received Sizco Roquid's inbound pass, he first waited for Aguas to cut toward the basket - off a Prince Carino screen at the top of the key - before pulling off the cross-court pass.
Aguas precisely caught the ball, but he was a bit far from the rim. And it did not help that Jhou caught up and stood right in front of him, leaving him with no choice but to stop and think twice about laying it in.
But that was not any sort of denial for him. Instead, he gathered and bumped his defender to create some needed separation, which became enough for him to hoist up a shot despite the difficult angle he had.
Moments later, Aguas and the whole crew would erupt in jubilation as his instincts won it for the Southeast Asian powerhouse, allowing themselves to join Australia as the early winners in Group A.
I just threw it.
That clutch shot of his, which has garnered lots of attention across social media, capped off what had been a solid game overall for the native of Tarlac, as he notched a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds.
For some, such an outing was no longer a surprise, since he's already proven himself in the SEABA Qualifiers last June. He averaged 12.6 points and 6.8 rebounds, helping Gilas Youth rule the tilt via 5-game sweep.
But to have played the way he did in a FIBA debut makes it much more impressive, especially for a young hooper who's trying to follow the footsteps of Philippine men's team stars Kevin Quiambao and Dwight Ramos.
"Yes, they're the ones I really idolize," he said.
As promising as their start was, Aguas chooses not to get too carried away by it.
It's not lost on him - and the entire team, for sure - how much they have to clean up entering their next game against the defending champions in the Emus after what happened versus Chinese Taipei.
The Philippines coughed up a lead as big as 27 points, allowing their East Asian foes to threaten and take the lead even after supposedly restoring order by building an 83-68 cushion with 6:09 remaining in the fourth.
"We will learn from our mistakes," offered the 1.95 M (6'5") Aguas, who's attending Colegio de San Juan de Letran for high school. "I think we have seen enough, there were a lot of mistakes that we made."
"So we will just execute our coaches' game plan."
FIBA